What is visual perception? Visual perception is the ability to give meaning to what is seen. It is not the actual ability to see, but instead, it is the person’s ability to comprehend what the eyes see.

Visual perceptual skills include: figure-ground, form constancy, spatial relations, visual closure, visual discrimination, visual memory, and visualization.

Figure ground: the ability to locate an object, word, letter, number, etc. from their background. Example: Locating a pencil in a messy desk or finding a requested object on an iSpy page.

Form constancy: the ability to identify two similar objects even when one is smaller, larger, darker, lighter, upside down, side-ways, backwards, etc. Example: Being able to tell the difference between “d” and “b”, “p” and “q”, “m” and “w.” A deficit in this area of visual perception can cause a child to display letter and number reversals.

Spatial relations: the ability to know where an object is in relation to

oneself; Knowing and understanding how to use directional terms to describe an objects position in space. Example: Knowing right versus left, front versus back, up versus down (directional terms).

Visual closure: the ability to identify an object even when part of it is

missing and/or hidden/covered up. Example: Recognizing a shape as a square even when a portion of the line is covered.

Visual discrimination: the ability to differentiate objects (i.e. can be letters, words, numbers, etc.) by size, color, shape, orientation, position in space, forms, patterns, etc. in order to identify similarities and/or differences. Example: Knowing that a triangle is a triangle even if it is turned upside down or larger/smaller in size than the model triangle.

Visual memory: the ability to recall information (i.e. words, sentences,

letters, numbers, etc.) that is no longer visible; recalling information that was visually seen in the past. Example: When copying from the board, writing 2-3 letters at one time before having to look back up at the board for the next word/letters.

Visualization: the ability to create a mental picture of an object,

concepts, words, events, letters, etc. based on one’s past experiences.

Activities to enhance visual perceptual skills: Mazes, hidden picture worksheets, dot to dot worksheets, word searches, jigsaw puzzles, playing memory picture card games, play iSpy and Where’s Waldo, what’s different worksheets or lay a variety of objects on a table and have the child identify similarities and differences of each one, sort/organize objects (i.e. beads, silverware, socks, etc.) based on color, size, shape, etc., Connect Four, tic-tac-toe, hide objects in messy desk and/or fill up a large container with rice, beads, beans, etc. and hide toys in the container for the child to find, Complete the Picture worksheets, creating/replicating patterns using parquetry blocks, completing grid activities such as Battle Ship game, playing dominoes, etc.

iPad apps to enhance visual perceptual skills: iOT, Skill Game, Monster Hunt, Matrix Game 2, Matrix Game 3, Simoo, Flow Jewels, Memo-Game, Dexteria, Pop Flux, Animal Puzzles, Pirates Island (has a variety of visual perceptual activities), Sorting Game, Left or Right, Opposites 1, Sort it Out 1, Maze Game 3, Visual Attn Lite, My Mosaic, Things to Spot, Atoms Connect, Vision Tap, and MANY MORE.

How visual perceptual skills affect children in the classroom: Difficulty with the following:

>Forming and writing letters correctly (with correct formation) >Writing on the lines (with accurate line/baseline orientation) >Copying from the board >Spelling >Reading >Completing coloring/cutting tasks with precision >Unable to differentiate right versus left side of body (knowing right versus

left) >Running/bumping into objects (i.e. chairs, book shelves, etc.) in the hallway

and/or classroom